I hear the G series is 90% of the 861, but I never had the G in my system, but many of our reviewers who's ears I value have them and love them. The G series isn't really upgradable like the 861, nor is it modular, so you are stuck with what you buy, where as the 861 can be updated to add new features and options. For me, the 861 was the easy choice, but your system and wallet will need to decide what works best for you.